EDITORIAL - Waiting for a wider probe

While the nation waits for President Marcos’ decision on the fate of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, people are also wondering if the probe on flood control anomalies will still cover a wider area.

Surely there are many more areas aside from Bulacan, Pampanga, Oriental Mindoro and the Davao provinces where there are anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects.

What’s the update on the Sumbong sa Pangulo website where people can forward reports or complaints about public works projects possibly tainted with corruption?

Even the probe on suspected anomalies in the National Capital Region has been underwhelming. There has been no action, for example, on reports of a massive reclamation activity flagged as a flood control project by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Laguna de Bay, a critical source of water and fish for the NCR.

The Department of Public Works and Highways claims that the reclamation along C-6 from Taguig to Taytay, Rizal is part of a road project. The DPWH contractor for this project is one of the firms implicated in questionable flood control projects in Bulacan.

Malacañang previously said it would be up to the ICI to determine if it should continue its fact-finding tasks. But shouldn’t the fate of a body be up to the person who created it?

President Marcos created the ICI on Sept. 11 last year through Executive Order No. 94. Since then the ICI has lost three key members. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong was the first to quit as adviser. Former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson and top private accountant Rossana Fajardo followed.

Since then, no replacements have been named for the two commissioners, leaving the remaining one, ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr., with no quorum to conduct investigations or expand the fact-finding to more areas.

Still, the ICI has submitted its report and recommendations, which include the names of people including top public officials who should face criminal indictment in connection with the budgeting and flood control anomalies.

The Palace said President Marcos is expected to finish reviewing the ICI report within this month. Beyond what the ICI has so far accomplished, is this probe still going to be expanded?

The anti-corruption crackdown was launched by the President during his State of the Nation Address last year. While several major players have faced investigation and indictment since then, the nation expects more, particularly the big fish, a number of whom are reportedly named in the ICI report.

In his upcoming SONA, the President would not want to invite criticism that his crackdown is just another flash-in-the-pan campaign.